Arrest of Fugitive Norberto Jimenez-Rodriguez in Nashville, Tennessee

Today, FBI Agents from the San Juan and Memphis Field Offices, specifically, the Nashville Resident Agency, arrested Norberto Jimenez-Rodriguez. Jimenez-Rodriguez, approximately 25 years old, and using the alias of Jason Valcarcel-Rivera, was arrested without incident in the parking lot of his place of employment in Nashville, Tennessee. It is believed Jimenez-Rodriguez had been residing in the Nashville, Tennessee area for the past three years.

Norberto Jimenez-Rodriguez is allegedly an associate of the "San Isidro" gang, a drug and weapons trafficking organization which is primarily based in the northeastern region of Puerto Rico. Since 2000, this organization's members and their associates have been responsible for a number of acts of extreme violence, including murder. The majority of this violence has been associated with disputes between "San Isidro" and rival drug gangs for control of drug points and other drug trafficking activities, such as the distribution of large quantities of crack, powder cocaine, and illegal weapons.

In March of 2002, Norberto Jimenez-Rodriguez was allegedly involved in the brutal murder of an individual who was assisting law enforcement authorities with their investigation of the "San Isidro" gang. When this victim, under the supervision of law enforcement, attempted to purchase an illegal firearm from the "San Isidro" gang, he was shot repeatedly, robbed, and then doused with gasoline while inside a van. Norberto Jimenez-Rodriguez was the only remaining fugitive of the "San Isidro" gang who was allegedly involved in this murder.

On June 25, 2003, a federal arrest warrant was issued by the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico charging Norberto Jimenez-Rodriguez with violations relating to criminal enterprise activities, including murder. Since March 2004, Jimenez-Rodriguez had been a featured fugitive on the FBI internet website under the Most Wanted-Criminal Enterprise Investigations fugitives section.

The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of any guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial. The U.S. government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.